Drive device

Abstract

A drive device, comprising: an annular cover (20) having an inner peripheral opening (29); and a drive unit to which the annular cover is attached. The drive device comprises an inner peripheral adhesive (92) for bonding the inner peripheral end of the annular cover to the drive unit, and comprises an outer peripheral adhesive (91) for bonding the outer peripheral end of the annular cover to the drive unit. Therefore, the drive unit and the annular cover can be bonded to each other at multiple positions. Therefore, it is easier to securely fix the components and to each other than in a configuration in which only one bonding position is provided. Therefore, a drive device in which the components are properly bonded and fixed to each other can be provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosure in this specification relates to a drive device. Background Art

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a rotating electric machine including a first sealing member and a second sealing member compressed in different directions from each other. Due to this, the influence of mutual assembly errors on the sealing performance of the first sealing member and the second sealing member, such as stress and torsion generated during assembly, can be reduced. The disclosure of the prior art document is incorporated herein by reference as an explanation of the technical elements in the present disclosure.

[0003] Prior art documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: JP 2015-89216A Summary of the invention

[0006] In the configuration of the prior art document, a fixing device is provided to fix the cover to the frame in a state where the sealing member is compressed. In particular, an engaging portion and a claw portion or a threaded member are provided as the fixing device. The configuration of the prior art document does not disclose the use of an adhesive as a fixing device. When the cover is fixed to the frame using an adhesive, it is necessary to provide a sufficiently large bonding surface. If the bonding surface is too small, the bonding strength may be insufficient, and the various components may not be bonded to each other in a stable manner. From the above viewpoints or other unmentioned viewpoints, there is a need to further improve the drive device.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a driving device in which components are well combined and fixed.

[0008] The driving device according to the present disclosure includes: an annular cover 20, the annular cover 20 having an inner peripheral opening portion 29; a driving unit 10, the annular cover being attached to the driving unit 10; an inner peripheral adhesive 92, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 adhering the inner peripheral end portion of the annular cover to the driving unit; and an outer peripheral adhesive 91, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 adhering the outer peripheral end portion of the annular cover to the driving unit.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, the drive device includes an inner peripheral adhesive that bonds the inner peripheral end of the annular cover to the drive unit, and includes an outer peripheral adhesive that bonds the outer peripheral end of the annular cover to the drive unit. Therefore, the drive unit and the annular cover can be bonded to each other at multiple positions. Therefore, it is easier to secure the components firmly and to each other than in a configuration in which only one bonding position is provided. Therefore, a drive device in which the components are properly adhered and fixed to each other can be provided.

[0010] The various aspects disclosed in this specification adopt different technical solutions from each other in order to achieve their respective goals. The reference numerals in brackets described in the claims and this section exemplarily show the correspondence with the components of the embodiments to be described later, and are not intended to limit the technical scope. The purposes, features and advantages disclosed in this specification will become apparent by referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 is a top view showing the driving device.

[0012] Figure 2 It shows that along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a cross section taken along line II-II.

[0013] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a driving unit.

[0014] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing an annular cover.

[0015] Figure 5 is a partially enlarged view showing an adhered portion between the drive unit and the annular cover.

[0016] Figure 6 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the connector and the annular cover are positioned.

[0017] Figure 7 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before bonding between the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the inner peripheral edge adhesion recess portion.

[0018] Figure 8 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after bonding between the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the inner peripheral edge adhesion recess portion.

[0019] Fig. 9 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state before bonding between the outer peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the outer peripheral edge adhesion recess portion.

[0020] Fig.10 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after bonding between the outer peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the outer peripheral edge adhesion recess portion.

[0021] Fig.11 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state after the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the inner peripheral edge adhesion recess portion are coupled in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In some embodiments, components that correspond to each other and / or are associated with each other in function and / or structure are given the same reference numerals, or have different reference numerals with hundreds or more digits. For corresponding parts and / or associated parts, the description of other embodiments may be further explained.

[0023] [First embodiment]

[0024] The drive device 1 is a device that performs an electric drive operation and can be used as a rotating electrical machine device, such as a motor device or a power generation device. Alternatively, the drive device 1 can also be used for an actuator device that does not involve rotation. The drive device 1 can be used, for example, as a device that is mounted on a vehicle and constitutes a part of an electric power steering device. Hereinafter, a case where the drive device 1 is used as a part of an electric power steering device for a vehicle will be described as an example.

[0025] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the drive device 1 includes a drive unit 10 and an annular cover 20. The drive unit 10 includes a motor 11, a circuit substrate 15, a frame 30 and a connector 41. The motor 11 is an electric motor that converts electrical energy into rotational motion. The motor 11 is a device that provides a driving force for the drive device 1. Alternatively, the driving force can be provided by using a device such as an actuator instead of the motor 11. The frame 30 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. The frame 30 includes a motor housing 31 as a cylindrical body and a frame end 32 forming a bottom surface. Here, the term "bottom" refers to a closed portion of the frame 30 and is not intended to refer to directionality. The frame 30 accommodates the motor 11 in a housing space surrounded by the motor housing 31 and the frame end 32. The motor housing 31 and the frame end 32 are made of a metal material with high thermal conductivity.

[0026] The circuit substrate 15 includes a plurality of circuit components for controlling the motor 11. A portion of the circuit substrate 15 is in contact with the frame end 32. Heat generated in the circuit components of the circuit substrate 15 is transferred to the frame end 32 and dissipated from the frame end 32. In other words, the frame end 32 serves as a heat sink that promotes cooling of the circuit substrate 15. The connector 41 is a component for transmitting signals, power, etc. from the outside of the drive device 1 to the motor 11 and the circuit substrate 15. The end of the winding of the motor 11 passes through the circuit substrate 15 and protrudes away from the side where the motor 11 is provided.

[0027] The annular cover 20 is mounted on the drive unit 10. The annular cover 20 has an inner peripheral opening 29 that forms an opening at the center of the annular cover 20. When the annular cover 20 is mounted on the drive unit 10, a portion of the connector 41 protrudes outward from the opening formed by the inner peripheral opening 29. The annular cover 20 is a resin component and may be formed of, for example, a resin such as polybutylene terephthalate.

[0028] When the annular cover 20 is attached to the drive unit 10, only a portion of the connector 41 is exposed to the outside. In this way, the remaining portion of the connector 41, the circuit substrate 15, and the frame end 32 are not exposed to the outside. In other words, by attaching the annular cover 20, it is possible to prevent water and dust from adhering to the circuit substrate 15, etc., thereby protecting the circuit substrate 15.

[0029] exist Figure 3 , the circuit substrate 15 has a substantially disc shape. The circuit substrate 15 is arranged to cover the frame end 32. An outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 is formed in the frame 30. The outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 has a continuous annular shape. The outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 is arranged radially outside the circuit substrate 15. Here, the radial direction refers to the rotation axis of the motor 11. The outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 is a groove formed by two components, namely, the motor housing 31 and the frame end 32.

[0030] The connector 41 has an inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 formed therein. The inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 has a continuous annular shape. The inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 is arranged radially inward of the outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 relative to the rotation axis of the motor 11. The inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 is arranged at a position away from the frame end 32. In other words, the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 is arranged at a position deviated from the outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 along the axial direction of the rotation axis of the motor 11.

[0031] exist Figure 4 , the annular cover 20 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom. At the center of the bottom surface of the annular cover 20, an inner peripheral opening 29 forming a substantially circular opening is provided. Here, the term "bottom" is also intended to refer only to the closed side of the annular cover 20 without limiting the directionality. The shape of the inner peripheral opening 29 may be any shape as long as at least a portion of the connector 41 can be exposed to the outside, and the shape of the inner peripheral opening 29 is not limited to a substantially circular shape. For example, the shape may be a square shape or a semicircular shape, or may be a complex shape formed by combining various shapes.

[0032] The annular cover 20 includes an inner peripheral opening 29 as an inner peripheral end portion, and also includes an outer peripheral end portion located on the side opposite to the inner peripheral end portion. The outer peripheral end portion is located outside the inner peripheral end portion. When the annular cover 20 is attached to the drive unit 10, the distance from the outer peripheral end portion to the frame 30 is smaller than the distance from the inner peripheral end portion to the frame 30.

[0033] An outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is formed by the outer peripheral end portion. The outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 protrudes toward the frame 30. The outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is continuously arranged on the entire outer peripheral end portion in an annular shape. An outer surface protrusion 22 protruding from the outer surface of the annular cover 20 is formed near the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21. The protrusion direction of the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 and the protrusion direction of the outer surface protrusion 22 are directions intersecting with each other. The outer surface protrusion 22 is continuously arranged in an annular shape along the outer surface of the annular cover 20. The outer surface protrusion 22 faces the end portion of the motor housing 31. The outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is an example of an outer peripheral end portion.

[0034] The inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 26 is formed by the inner peripheral edge end portion. The inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 26 protrudes toward the frame 30. The protrusion direction of the outer peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 21 is the same as the protrusion direction of the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 26. The inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 26 is continuously provided in a ring shape on the entire inner peripheral edge end portion. The inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion 26 is an example of the inner peripheral edge end portion.

[0035] exist Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, a positioning portion 27 is formed near the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26. The positioning portion 27 is located outside the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26. The positioning portion 27 is formed to protrude toward the frame 30. The protruding direction of the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 is the same as the protruding direction of the positioning portion 27. The positioning portion 27 includes an inclined portion 27a, the protrusion amount of which increases as the distance from the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 increases. The inclined portion 27a has a tapered shape forming a flat surface. The inclined portion 27a is not limited to having a tapered shape. For example, the tip portion of the positioning portion 27 can be rounded into a curved shape to provide a rounded portion instead.

[0036] An outer peripheral adhesive 91 is provided between the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 fixes the annular cover 20 to the frame 30 by bonding the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 to the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 is provided annularly and continuously between the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. This prevents foreign matter from entering between the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. In other words, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 has two functions: a bonding function of bonding and fixing the annular cover 20 to the frame 30, and a sealing function of sealing between the annular cover 20 and the frame 30.

[0037] An inner peripheral adhesive 92 is provided between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45. The inner peripheral adhesive 92 fixes the annular cover 20 to the connector 41 by adhering the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 to the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45. The inner peripheral adhesive 92 is provided annularly and continuously between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45. This prevents foreign matter from entering between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45. In other words, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 has two functions: a bonding function of bonding and fixing the annular cover 20 to the connector 41, and a sealing function of sealing between the annular cover 20 and the connector 41.

[0038] As the outer peripheral adhesive 91 and the inner peripheral adhesive 92, for example, a silicon-based adhesive can be used. However, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 and the inner peripheral adhesive 92 only need to have a function of combining and fixing the components to each other and a sealing function of preventing foreign matter such as water from entering from the part where the components are combined. In other words, the present disclosure is not limited to the use of a silicon-based adhesive. For example, an acrylic adhesive or an epoxy resin adhesive can be used.

[0039] Next, the coupling between the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 will be described. Figure 6 The state before the annular cover 20 is positioned relative to the drive unit 10 is shown. The inner peripheral adhesive 92 is provided in the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45 and is surrounded on three sides. At this time, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is in a soft state before hardening.

[0040] The annular cover 20 moves toward the connector 41 while maintaining the state in which the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 face each other. Since the annular cover 20 deviates slightly inward from the correct position, the inclined portion 27a and the connector 41 contact each other. When the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 further approaches the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 and the inclined portion 27a and the connector 41 contact each other, the position of the annular cover 20 is guided toward the correct position by the inclined portion 27a. In other words, the inclined portion 27a serves as a guide for guiding the annular cover 20 to the appropriate position. Here, the protrusion amount Lp of the positioning portion 27 is greater than the protrusion amount Lb of the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26. For this reason, when the annular cover 20 is guided to the appropriate position, the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 does not contact the connector 41. Therefore, the guiding function of the inclined portion 27a is not hindered by other parts such as the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26.

[0041] Figure 7 The state is shown after the annular cover 20 has been positioned relative to the drive unit 10 and before the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 are combined with each other. The inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 are further approached to each other, and a part of the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 is inserted into the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45. The direction along which the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 is inserted into the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 is the direction along which the annular cover 20 is assembled. In other words, the protruding direction of the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 is the same as the direction along which the annular cover 20 is assembled. On the other hand, the part of the connector 41 that constitutes the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 is inserted between the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion 26 and the positioning portion 27.

[0042] The annular cover 20 moves in the assembling direction beyond the position where the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 contacts the inner peripheral adhesive 92. Therefore, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is pushed and spread by the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26, and the inner peripheral adhesive 92 spreads to all corners. Therefore, even if the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is not continuously applied before bonding, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is expanded and spread by the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26, so that the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is continuously provided in an annular shape.

[0043] Figure 84. The state after the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45 are adhered and fixed to each other is shown. The inner peripheral adhesive 92 contacts and is fixed to two components, namely the annular cover 20 and the connector 41. At this time, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is cured in a state of being continuously provided between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45 in an annular shape. In other words, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 fills the space between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recessed portion 45 without any gap.

[0044] The outer end of the side surface forming the inner peripheral adhesion recessed portion 45 is in contact with a portion of the annular cover 20 located between the inner peripheral adhesion protruding portion 26 and the positioning portion 27. On the other hand, the inner peripheral adhesion protruding portion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recessed portion 45 are not in contact with each other. The inner peripheral adhesive 92 is interposed between the inner peripheral adhesion protruding portion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesion recessed portion 45.

[0045] Next, bonding via the peripheral adhesive 91 will be described. Fig. 9 The state before the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35 are combined with each other is shown. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 is set in the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35 and is surrounded on three sides. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 is applied to contact with two components, that is, the motor housing 31 and the frame end 32. At this time, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is in a soft state before hardening. The distal end of the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 is tapered so that the thickness of the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 is the smallest at its distal end.

[0046] exist Fig. 9 , the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 are close to each other, showing the state just before the distal end portion of the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is inserted into the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35. The direction along which the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is inserted into the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 is the direction along which the annular cover 20 is assembled. In other words, the protrusion direction of the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 is the same as the direction along which the annular cover 20 is assembled.

[0047] The annular cover 20 moves in the mounting direction beyond the position where the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 contacts the outer peripheral adhesive 91. Therefore, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is pushed out by the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21, and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 spreads to every corner. Therefore, even if the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is not continuously applied before bonding, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is expanded and spread by the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21, so that the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is continuously provided in an annular shape.

[0048] Fig.10The state after the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 are adhered to each other is shown. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 contacts three different components, namely the annular cover 20, the motor housing 31 and the frame end 32, and firmly adheres each component to each other. At this time, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is cured in a state of being continuously arranged between the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 in an annular manner. In other words, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 fills the space between the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 without any gap.

[0049] The outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 has a plurality of relative surfaces facing the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35. Among the plurality of relative surfaces of the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21, the surface facing the direction intersecting the mounting direction of the annular cover 20 is referred to as a side relative surface. The side facing surface of the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion 21 includes an outwardly facing surface 21a and an inwardly facing surface 21b. The outwardly facing surface 21a faces the outer side surface of the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 positioned radially outward relative to the rotation axis of the motor 11. The inwardly facing surface 21b faces the inner side surface of the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 positioned radially inward relative to the rotation axis of the motor 11.

[0050] The thickness Ts of the peripheral adhesive 91 between the outwardly facing surface 21a and the peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35 is greater than the thickness Tu of the peripheral adhesive 91 between the inwardly facing surface 21b and the peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. By providing the peripheral adhesive 91 with a sufficient thickness, the bonding function and the sealing function of the peripheral adhesive 91 can be improved.

[0051] The outer peripheral adhesive 91 spreads to fill the space between the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 and the outer peripheral adhesive recess portion 35 before hardening, and reaches the outer surface protrusion 22. The outer peripheral adhesive 91 cannot spread further in the installation direction along the outer surface of the annular cover 20 after reaching the outer surface protrusion 22. For this reason, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is guided by the outer surface protrusion 22 and spreads in the direction intersecting the assembly direction.

[0052] The outer surface protrusion 22 and the end of the motor housing 31 face each other in the assembling direction. A portion of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is located in the space between the outer surface protrusion 22 and the end portion of the motor housing 31. In other words, a portion of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 adheres the outer surface protrusion 22 to the end portion of the motor housing 31. Therefore, a larger bonding surface can be provided compared to a case where the outer surface protrusion 22 is not provided.

[0053] When the peripheral adhesive 91 is continuously provided in an annular shape on the outer surface of the drive device 1 between the outer surface protruding portion 22 and the frame 30, the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 are properly adhered and fixed to each other by the peripheral adhesive 91. In this state, foreign matter is prevented from entering through the space between the peripheral adhesive protruding portion 21 and the peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. In other words, after the bonding process using the peripheral adhesive 91 is completed, it is possible to check whether each component is properly bonded to each other by checking whether the peripheral adhesive 91 is continuously provided in the ring between the outer surface protruding portion 22 and the frame 30. In this case, it is preferred to use an opaque adhesive as the peripheral adhesive 91. The color of the peripheral adhesive 91 is preferably different from the color of the annular cover 20 and the frame 30. Doing so will make it easier to visually confirm whether the peripheral adhesive 91 is exposed.

[0054] The outer surface protrusion 22 protruding from the outer surface of the annular cover 20 like an eave also plays a role in protecting the outer peripheral adhesive 91 from external impact. For example, even if sand and stones may collide with the outer peripheral adhesive 91 exposed on the outer surface of the drive device 1, the sand and stones are unlikely to collide directly with the outer peripheral adhesive 91 due to the collision of the sand and stones with the outer surface protrusion 22. According to this, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be prevented from being peeled off from the annular cover 20 and the frame 30 due to external impact, and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be prevented from being broken. Therefore, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can easily perform two functions of combining and fixing the components to each other and serving as a seal to prevent foreign matter from entering the drive device 1 for a long time. In particular, when the drive device 1 is installed on a vehicle, the drive device 1 may come into contact with sand and stones during driving. Therefore, when the drive device 1 is used in a vehicle, a configuration for protecting the outer peripheral adhesive 91 from collision with sand and stones is very useful.

[0055] The bonding with the outer peripheral adhesive 91 and the bonding with the inner peripheral adhesive 92 are performed simultaneously. In other words, the annular cover 20 and the drive unit 10 are bonded to each other simultaneously at two positions: the position where the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is applied and the position where the inner peripheral adhesive 92 is applied.

[0056] According to the above-described embodiment, the drive device 1 includes an inner peripheral adhesive 92 that bonds the inner peripheral end of the annular cover 20 to the drive unit 10, and includes an outer peripheral adhesive 91 that bonds the outer peripheral end of the annular cover 20 to the drive unit 10. For this reason, the annular cover 20 and the drive unit 10 can be adhesively fixed to each other at two positions, that is, the inner peripheral end and the outer peripheral end. Therefore, compared with the case where the annular cover 20 and the drive unit 10 are fixed at one position, the components are more likely to be firmly adhered together. Therefore, a drive device 1 in which the components are properly adhered and fixed to each other can be provided. In particular, since the bonding position is set at the inner peripheral end portion and the outer peripheral end portion, the bonding portions are physically spaced apart from each other. Therefore, even when an external force is applied to the vicinity of one end of the device, the adhesion at the other end may be properly maintained. In addition, even when a foreign object collides strongly with one end of the device, it is also possible to maintain proper adhesion at the other end.

[0057] The inner peripheral adhesive 92 adheres the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 to the inner peripheral adhesive recess 45, and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 adheres the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 to the outer peripheral adhesive recess 35. For this reason, a large bonding surface area can be provided compared to the case where the inner peripheral adhesive 92 or the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is adhered to a flat surface. Therefore, the adhesion strength of the inner peripheral adhesive 92 and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be increased.

[0058] The inner peripheral adhesive 92 adheres the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion 26 to the inner peripheral adhesive recess 45 in a continuous annular shape, and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 adheres the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion 21 to the outer peripheral adhesive recess 35 in a continuous annular shape. For this reason, the inner peripheral adhesive 92 and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can bond and fix the components to each other while also preventing foreign matter from entering between the components. Therefore, the respective components can be firmly bonded to each other while also providing a seal between the components with a simple configuration.

[0059] The thickness Ts of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 between the outward-facing surface 21a and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35 is greater than the thickness Tu of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 between the inward-facing surface 21b and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35. Therefore, foreign matter can be reliably prevented from entering on the upstream side of the foreign matter entry path. Therefore, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can reliably prevent foreign matter from entering the drive device 1. In addition, the thickness of the portion of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 close to the outer surface is relatively large, and this portion may deteriorate due to exposure to the external environment. For this reason, the adhesion function and the sealing function of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be reliably provided for a long time.

[0060] The annular cover 20 includes an outer surface protruding portion 22 protruding from the outer surface of the annular cover 20. The outer surface protruding portion 22 faces the end portion of the drive unit 10. For this reason, the outer surface protruding portion 22 can restrict the outer peripheral adhesive 91 overflowing between the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion 35 and the outer peripheral adhesive protruding portion 21 from spreading along the outer surface of the annular cover 20. Therefore, the degree to which the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is exposed to the outside can be controlled. Therefore, by checking the outer peripheral adhesive 91 exposed to the outside, it is easy to confirm whether the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is distributed over the entire circumference of the device.

[0061] The outer surface protrusion 22 also plays a role in protecting the outer peripheral adhesive 91 from external impact. In other words, the outer surface protrusion 22 is called an outer peripheral protection portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the outer peripheral adhesive 91 from peeling off from the drive unit 10 or the annular cover 20. For this reason, the bonding function and sealing function of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be reliably provided for a long time.

[0062] Furthermore, a portion of the outer surface protruding portion 22 and the end portion of the motor housing 31 can be bonded to each other with the outer peripheral adhesive 91. For this reason, a larger bonding surface of the outer peripheral adhesive 91 can be ensured compared to the case where the outer surface protruding portion 22 is not provided. Therefore, the state in which the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 are properly bonded and sealed can be more reliably maintained.

[0063] The outer peripheral adhesive 91 is opaque. Therefore, it is easy to visually confirm whether the outer peripheral adhesive 91 is exposed to the outside. Therefore, it can be smoothly confirmed whether the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 are properly bonded and sealed to each other by the outer peripheral adhesive 91.

[0064] The annular cover 20 includes a positioning portion 27 for determining the position of the annular cover 20 relative to the drive unit 10. Therefore, the relative positions of the inner peripheral adhesion recessed portion 45 and the inner peripheral adhesion protruding portion 26 can be appropriately maintained. In addition, the relative positions of the outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion 35 and the outer peripheral adhesion protruding portion 21 can be appropriately maintained. Therefore, the annular cover 20 can be easily adhered and fixed at an appropriate position using the inner peripheral adhesive 92 and the outer peripheral adhesive 91. Therefore, the drive device 1 in which the components are well combined with each other and are appropriately sealed can be provided.

[0065] The protrusion amount Lp of the positioning portion 27 is greater than the protrusion amount Lb of the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26. For this reason, when the annular cover 20 is attached to the drive unit 10, the positioning portion 27 is more likely to contact the drive unit 10 before the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26 contacts the drive unit 10. Therefore, the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26 can be inserted into the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45 in a state where the positioning of the annular cover 20 relative to the drive unit 10 is appropriately set by the positioning unit 27. Therefore, appropriate adhesion between the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 can be smoothly performed more reliably.

[0066] The positioning portion 27 includes an inclined portion 27a whose protrusion amount increases as the distance from the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26 increases. Therefore, when the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 are combined with each other, after the tip end of the positioning portion 27 contacts the connector 41, the position of the annular cover 20 can be guided along the inclined portion 27a. Therefore, the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion 26 can be smoothly inserted into the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion 45.

[0067] The inner peripheral adhesive 92 adheres the annular cover 20 to the connector 41, and the outer peripheral adhesive 91 adheres the annular cover 20 to the frame 30. In other words, the annular cover 20 is adhesively fixed to two different components. Therefore, even if a large external force is applied to the connector 41 or the frame 30 and the connector 41 or the frame 30 is deformed, the drive unit 10 will remain firmly adhered to the other non-deformed component. Therefore, the annular cover 20 is less likely to fall off.

[0068] The outer peripheral adhesion recess portion 35 is formed in the frame 30. For this reason, the annular cover 20 can be directly adhered and fixed to the frame 30 as a member for fixing the motor 11. Therefore, it is easier to maintain the state in which the frame 30 and the annular cover 20 are adhesively fixed to each other than in the case where the annular cover 20 is indirectly fixed to the frame 30. If the annular cover 20 is fixed only to the connector 41, the annular cover 20 will be removed from the drive unit 10 not only when the annular cover 20 is removed from the connector 41, but also when the connector 41 is removed from the frame 30. In particular, when the drive device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, the drive device 1 is easily affected by vibration during driving. For this reason, when the drive device 1 is used for a vehicle, a configuration in which the annular cover 20 is not easily removed even when a large vibration is applied is very useful.

[0069] In addition, when the frame 30 is made of metal, the volume change relative to temperature change is smaller than that of a resin component, and it is easier to maintain an appropriate bonding state with the outer peripheral adhesive 91. In particular, when the drive device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, the drive device 1 is exposed to the external environment, and the temperature may change greatly. For this reason, when the drive device 1 is used in a vehicle, a configuration in which the annular cover 20 is easily maintained in an appropriate bonding state even when a large temperature change occurs is very useful.

[0070] The peripheral adhesive 91 adheres the annular cover 20, the motor housing 31, and the frame end 32 to each other. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a first sealing member between the motor housing 31 and the annular cover 20 and to provide a second sealing member different from the first sealing member between the frame end 32 and the annular cover 20. In other words, the sealing properties of a plurality of components can be simultaneously ensured by the peripheral adhesive 91 as one member. Therefore, manufacturability is improved, and the drive device 1 can be designed to be small and thin.

[0071] (Second Embodiment)

[0072] This embodiment is a modification of the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, the annular cover 20 includes an inner peripheral protection portion 228 .

[0073] exist Fig.11 , the annular cover 20 includes an inner peripheral protection portion 228 protruding from the inner peripheral opening 29 toward the center of the inner peripheral opening 29. The protrusion amount of the inner peripheral protection portion 228 is greater than the thickness of the inner peripheral adhesive 92 between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion portion 26 and the inner peripheral adhesive recess portion 45. The inner peripheral protection portion 228 is shaped so as to cover the inner peripheral adhesive 92 from the side protruding from the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion portion 26. The inner peripheral protection portion 228 is annularly provided on the entire periphery of the inner peripheral opening 29.

[0074] If foreign matter contacts the drive device 1 from the side of the annular cover 20, the foreign matter will collide with the inner peripheral protection portion 228, thereby preventing the foreign matter from directly colliding with the inner peripheral adhesive 92. In other words, the inner peripheral protection portion 228 has a protective function of protecting the inner peripheral adhesive 92 from external impact. This can prevent the inner peripheral adhesive 92 from peeling off from the connector 41 or the annular cover 20.

[0075] According to the above-described embodiment, the annular cover 20 includes the inner peripheral protection portion 228 provided to protrude from the inner peripheral opening 29 toward the center of the inner peripheral opening 29. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the inner peripheral adhesive 92 from falling off from the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20. For this reason, the bonding function and the sealing function of the inner peripheral adhesive 92 can be reliably provided for a long time.

[0076] Other Implementations

[0077] It is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering between the drive unit 10 and the annular cover 20 by using an annular contact member such as an O-ring. In this case, the outer peripheral adhesive 91 and the inner peripheral adhesive 92 do not need to have a sealing function for preventing foreign matter from entering the interior of the drive device 1, and can be used only for their adhesion function. Alternatively, both the O-ring and the adhesive can be used to prevent foreign matter from entering to increase redundancy. According to this, water can be more reliably prevented from splashing onto the circuit substrate 15, etc., and the drive device 1 can be easily and stably operated.

[0078] When ensuring sealing performance by using an annular contact part such as an O-ring, the O-ring needs to be closely attached to the part that is expected to ensure sealing performance. For this reason, a structure for making the O-ring adhere closely is required. In addition, when ensuring sealing performance by using an O-ring, it is necessary to prevent the O-ring from being displaced in position to prevent the O-ring from being displaced during assembly. Therefore, a structure for preventing the O-ring from being displaced is required. On the other hand, when providing sealing performance by an adhesive, the adhesive is in a soft state before hardening and follows the bonding surface. For this reason, there is no need to provide a structure for adhering the adhesive or a structure for preventing the displacement of the adhesive. Therefore, by using an adhesive, sealing performance can be ensured using a simple configuration. Therefore, it is easier to design the drive device 1 to be thinner and smaller.

[0079] When a ring-shaped close contact member such as an O-ring is used to ensure sealing performance, the portion in contact with the O-ring serves as a sealing surface. For this reason, in order to ensure a large sealing surface, it is necessary to use a large O-ring or to use a plurality of O-rings. On the other hand, when sealing performance is ensured by using an adhesive, a large sealing surface can be easily ensured by providing an irregular sealing surface.

[0080] The disclosure in this specification and the drawings is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. The present disclosure includes exemplary embodiments and variations of the exemplary embodiments made by those skilled in the art based thereon. For example, the present disclosure is not limited to the combination of parts and / or elements shown in the embodiments. The present disclosure can be implemented in various combinations. The present disclosure can have additional parts that can be added to the embodiments. The present disclosure covers the omission of parts and / or elements of the embodiments. The present disclosure covers the replacement or combination of parts and / or elements between one embodiment and another. The disclosed technical scope is not limited to the description of the embodiments. It should be understood that some disclosed technical scopes are indicated by the description of the claims and include every modification within the equivalent meaning and scope of the description of the claims.

[0081] The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. is not limited to the description of the claims. The disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. covers the technical ideas described in the claims, and further extends to technical ideas broader than the technical ideas in the claims. Therefore, various technical ideas can be extracted from the disclosure in the specification, drawings, etc. without being limited to the description of the claims.

Claims

1. A driving device, comprising: an annular cover (20) having an inner peripheral opening portion (29); a drive unit (10), the annular cover being attached to the drive unit (10); an inner peripheral adhesive (92) that adheres an inner peripheral end portion of the annular cover to the drive unit; as well as an outer peripheral adhesive (91) that adheres the outer peripheral end portion of the annular cover to the drive unit, wherein the annular cover comprises the inner peripheral end portion and a positioning portion (27) provided only on the inner peripheral edge of the annular cover for determining the position of the annular cover relative to the drive unit, the inner peripheral end portion being an annular inner peripheral adhesion protrusion protruding toward the drive unit; wherein the driving unit comprises an annular inner peripheral adhesion recessed portion (45) facing the inner peripheral adhesion protruding portion; wherein an outer end portion of a side surface of the inner peripheral edge adhesion recess portion is provided to contact a portion of the annular cover member located between the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion and the positioning portion; wherein the inner peripheral adhesion protrusion portion and the inner peripheral adhesion recess portion do not contact each other; wherein the inner peripheral adhesive fills the space between the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion and the inner peripheral adhesive recess without any gap; wherein the outer peripheral end portion is a ring-shaped outer peripheral adhesion protrusion (21) protruding toward the drive unit; wherein the driving unit comprises an annular outer peripheral adhesion recessed portion (35) facing the outer peripheral adhesion protruding portion; wherein the outer peripheral adhesion protrusion portion and the outer peripheral adhesion recess portion do not contact each other; wherein the peripheral adhesive fills the space between the peripheral adhesive protrusion and the peripheral adhesive recess without any gap; The inner peripheral adhesive adheres the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion to the inner peripheral adhesive recess, and the outer peripheral adhesive adheres the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion to the outer peripheral adhesive recess.

2. The driving device according to claim 1, wherein: The inner peripheral adhesive adheres the inner peripheral adhesive protrusion to the inner peripheral adhesive recess in a continuous annular shape, and the outer peripheral adhesive adheres the outer peripheral adhesive protrusion to the outer peripheral adhesive recess in a continuous annular shape.

3. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The peripheral adhesive protrusion comprises: an inwardly facing surface (21b) facing the inner surface of the annular shape of the outer peripheral adhesion recess portion, and an outwardly facing surface (21a) facing the outer surface of the annular shape of the outer peripheral edge adhesion recess portion, and A thickness (Ts) of the outer peripheral adhesive between the outwardly facing surface and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion is greater than a thickness (Tu) of the outer peripheral adhesive between the inwardly facing surface and the outer peripheral adhesive recessed portion.

4. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The positioning portion is provided to protrude from the annular cover in a direction along a protruding direction of the inner peripheral edge adhesion protruding portion, and The protrusion amount (Lp) of the positioning portion is greater than the protrusion amount (Lb) of the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion.

5. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The positioning portion includes an inclined portion (27a) whose protrusion amount increases as the distance from the inner peripheral edge adhesion protrusion portion increases.

6. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The annular cover includes an outer surface protruding portion (22) which protrudes from the outer surface of the annular cover and faces an end portion of the drive unit.

7. The driving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The driving unit comprises: Motor (11), a frame (30), wherein the motor is accommodated in the frame (30) in a fixed state, and a connector (41), the connector (41) being fixed to the frame, The inner peripheral adhesive adheres the annular cover to the connector, and The peripheral adhesive adheres the annular cover to the frame.

8. The driving device according to claim 7, wherein: The framework includes: a cylindrical motor housing (31), and a frame end (32) secured to the motor housing, and The outer peripheral adhesive adheres the annular cover, the motor housing, and the frame end to each other.

Images